The invention may be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for the cleaning of surfaces, having a power cord detachable from the apparatus, a cleaning head having a heating plate, and a cleaning pad, wherein the heating plate forms a planar underside of the cleaning head and includes a heating element to heat the planar underside when the power cord energizes the heating element. The cleaning pad may be removably attached against and in thermal communication with the planar underside such that the cleaning pad is heated to a temperature between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive, when the power cord energizes the heating element. And the heating element may not heat the planar underside and the cleaning pad may not be heated whenever the power cord is detached from the apparatus. The cleaning pad may be a pre-moistened fabric pad.
This apparatus may further have a cleaning head including the heating plate and the cleaning pad, and an elongate body having a handle at a proximal end thereof, wherein the cleaning head may be flexibly disposed at a distal end of the elongate body.
The invention may alternatively be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for the hot and moist cleaning of surfaces, having a water reservoir, and a cleaning head having a heating plate and a cleaning pad, wherein the heating plate forms a planar underside of the cleaning head and includes a heating element to heat the planar underside. The water reservoir may be adapted to moisten the cleaning pad when the planar underside is above approximately 85 C. The cleaning pad may be removably attached against and in thermal communication with the planar underside such that the cleaning pad is moistened and heated to a temperature between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive. And the heating plate may not substantially heat water from the water reservoir prior to the moistening of the cleaning pad.
This alternative apparatus may further have a thermally-actuated valve to control the moistening of the cleaning pad by the water reservoir. The thermally actuated valve may be configured to open at approximately 85 C or above to allow water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad. The thermally actuated valve may have a valve stem having an open position for allowing water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad, and a closed position for denying water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad, and a bimetal actuator which changes shape according to temperature change and moves the valve stem between the open and closed positions accordingly.
This alternative apparatus may further have an elongate body including a handle at a proximal end thereof, wherein the cleaning head is flexibly disposed at a distal end of the elongate body. The water reservoir may be disposed on the elongate body above the cleaning head, and may be adapted to moisten the cleaning pad by gravitational force when the valve stem is in the open position.
This alternative apparatus may further have a thermostat electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to maintain the temperature of the cleaning pad between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive.
This alternative apparatus may further have a thermo-fuse electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to disable the apparatus when an abnormally high temperature is sensed.
Additionally, the invention may alternatively be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for the hot and moist cleaning of floors having an elongate body including a handle at a proximal end thereof and a water reservoir; and a cleaning head flexibly disposed at a distal end of the elongate body and having a heating plate and a cleaning pad, wherein the heating plate forms a planar underside of the cleaning head and includes a heating element to heat the planar underside. The water reservoir may be adapted to moisten the cleaning pad when the planar underside is above 85 C. The cleaning pad may be removably attached against and in thermal communication with the planar underside such that the cleaning pad is moistened and heated to a temperature between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive. And the heating plate may not substantially heat water from the water reservoir prior to the moistening of the cleaning pad.
This additionally alternative apparatus may further have a thermally-actuated valve to control the moistening of the cleaning pad by the water reservoir. The thermally actuated valve may be configured to open at approximately 85 C or above to allow water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad. The thermally actuated valve may have a valve stem having an open position for allowing water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad, and a closed position for denying water from the water reservoir to the cleaning pad, and a bimetal actuator which changes shape according to temperature change and moves the valve stem between the open and closed positions accordingly. The water reservoir may be disposed on the elongate body above the cleaning head, and may be adapted to moisten the cleaning pad by gravitational force when the valve stem is in the open position.
This additionally alternative apparatus may further have a thermostat electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to maintain the temperature of the cleaning pad between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive.
This additionally alternative apparatus may further have a thermo-fuse electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to disable the apparatus when an abnormally high temperature is sensed. This additionally alternative apparatus may further have a trigger-actuated valve in fluid communication with the water reservoir and thermally-actuated valve to selectively allow or deny water from the water reservoir to the thermally-actuated valve.
The invention may also be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for horizontal surface cleaning having; a tank adapted for containing a surface cleaning liquid and having an upright orientation during storage and a tilted orientation during horizontal surface cleaning, and a gravity-actuated valve cooperating with the tank to prevent the liquid from exiting the tank during the upright orientation and allowing the liquid to exit the tank during the tilted orientation. The horizontal surface cleaning may require the tank to assume the tilted orientation. The apparatus may include a power cord detachable from the apparatus, a cleaning head having a heating plate, and a cleaning pad; wherein the heating plate forms a planar underside of the cleaning head and includes a heating element to heat the planar underside when the power cord energizes the heating element. The cleaning pad may be removably attached against and in thermal communication with the planar underside such that the cleaning pad is heated to a temperature between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive, when the power cord energizes the heating element, and the heating element may not heat the planar underside and the cleaning pad is not heated whenever the power cord is detached from the apparatus.
The cleaning pad may be fabric pad. The cleaning head may include the heating plate and the cleaning pad. The apparatus may further include an elongate body having a handle at a proximal end thereof, wherein the cleaning head is flexibly disposed at a distal end of the elongate body, and wherein the elongate body is tilted during horizontal surface cleaning.
The invention may also be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for horizontal surface cleaning having a cleaning head for engaging horizontal surfaces to be cleaned, a handle pivotally engaging the cleaning head for grasping during horizontal surface cleaning, and a tank affixed to the handle and pivotal therewith relative to the cleaning head, the tank adapted to contain a surface cleaning liquid. The handle and tank may have together an upright orientation during storage and a tilted orientation during horizontal surface cleaning, and the tank may include a valve that closes during the upright orientation to prevent the liquid from exiting the tank, and opens during the tilted orientation to allow the liquid to exit the tank. The tilted orientation may be caused during horizontal surface cleaning.
The cleaning head may include a heating plate and a cleaning pad; wherein the heating plate forms a planar underside of the cleaning head and includes a heating element to heat the planar underside. The tank may be adapted to selectively moisten the cleaning pad when the planar underside is above approximately 85 C. The cleaning pad may be removably attached against and in thermal communication with the planar underside such that the cleaning pad is moistened and heated to a temperature between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive. And the heating plate may not substantially heat water from the tank prior to the moistening of the cleaning pad. A thermally-actuated valve may control the moistening of the cleaning pad by the tank. The thermally actuated valve may be configured to open at approximately 85 C or above to allow water from the tank to the cleaning pad. The thermally actuated valve may include a valve stem having an open position for allowing water from the tank to the cleaning pad, and a closed position for denying water from the tank to the cleaning pad, and a bimetal actuator which changes shape according to temperature change and moves the valve stem between the open and closed positions accordingly.
An elongate body may include the handle at a proximal end thereof, wherein the cleaning head is flexibly disposed at a distal end of the elongate body. The tank may be disposed on the elongate body above the cleaning head, and may be adapted to moisten the cleaning pad by gravitational force when the valve stem is in the open position and the tank and handle are in the tilted orientation. A thermostat may be electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to maintain the temperature of the cleaning pad between 85 C and 100 C, inclusive. A thermo-fuse may be electrically connected to the heating element and adapted for sensing the temperature of the planar underside to disable the apparatus when an abnormally high temperature is sensed.
The invention may also be embodied by or practiced using an apparatus for floor cleaning, having an underside having a perimeter edge, a cleaning pad, and fasteners for affixing the cleaning pad to the underside. The cleaning pad may include a main portion for floor cleaning and a tab extending there-from beyond the perimeter edge when the cleaning pad is affixed to the underside, for engaging to remove the cleaning pad from the underside without engaging the main portion. The apparatus may be adapted to wet the main portion of the cleaning pad during floor cleaning and the tab may be of a non-absorbent material which remains dry when the main portion is moistened. The fasteners may be hook/loop fasteners affixed to the underside and the main portion may include hook/loop fabric.
The invention may also be embodied by or practiced using a cleaning pad for an apparatus for floor cleaning, the apparatus of the type having an underside having a perimeter edge and fasteners for affixing the cleaning pad to the underside. The cleaning pad may include a main portion for floor cleaning and a tab extending there-from beyond the perimeter edge when the cleaning pad is affixed to the underside, for engaging to remove the cleaning pad from the underside without engaging the main portion. The tab may be of a non-absorbent material which remains dry if the main portion is moistened. The fasteners of the apparatus may be hook/loop fasteners affixed to the underside, and the main portion may include hook/loop fabric.
Further features and aspects of the invention are disclosed with more specificity in the Detailed Description and Drawings provided herein and showing exemplary embodiments of the invention.